Zaryth's eyelids fluttered open, the morning sun streaming in through the window of his room. His body felt heavy, as though he had been submerged in a dream far longer than he should have. A dull ache throbbed in his head, and his limbs were stiff from disuse.
The first thing he noticed was Ruby, seated beside his bed, her head resting on the mattress, still asleep. Her hand gently gripped his. For a moment, Zaryth stared at her, confused. He felt disoriented, like he'd just awoken from a dream he couldn't quite remember.
He shifted slightly, and Ruby stirred. Her eyes blinked open, and when she saw him awake, a wave of relief flooded her face. "Zaryth!" she cried, throwing her arms around him, hugging him tight.
"You've been asleep for seven days," she whispered, her voice trembling. "We thought... we thought you wouldn't wake up."
Zaryth blinked slowly. "Seven days?" he muttered, his voice hoarse. "What... what happened?"
Ruby pulled away, her expression softening. "You don't remember, do you?"
He shook his head, frustrated by the gaps in his memory. The last thing he could recall was... Sirus. The training grounds. Ruby getting hurt. Then, everything blurred, like a film torn in half.
Moments later, the door burst open, and his entire family filed into the room. His younger brother, Nico, rushed forward first, almost jumping onto the bed in excitement. "Big brother! You're awake!" he cheered.
Their father stood stiffly at the doorway, hands behind his back, but his stern expression faltered slightly. "Finally," he muttered with a mix of relief and exasperation.
One of Zaryth's mothers, the one who had given birth to him and Ruby, approached cautiously. "Darling," she said gently, brushing his silver hair back. "How are you feeling?"
Zaryth frowned. "Tired. But... what's going on? Why's everyone acting so weird?"
"Don't you remember?" Nico asked eagerly. "Everyone's talking about you! You blew up Sirus! He flew across the whole training field!"
"Enough, Nico," their father snapped. "We're still trying to figure out what happened that night."
Zaryth stared at them, bewildered. "I... blew up Sirus? What do you mean?"
His mother glanced at Ruby, sharing a knowing look. "It's complicated, Zaryth. But right now, the important thing is that you're awake."
Zaryth clenched his fists, frustration bubbling inside him. "What are you all talking about? I don't remember any of this!"
The next morning, Zaryth made his way back to the academy. His mind was still foggy, filled with scattered fragments of the past week. But one thing was clear—something had happened during that fight with Sirus. Something he couldn't understand, and no one seemed willing to explain.
As soon as he stepped through the gates, every head in the courtyard turned toward him. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. Students whispered to one another behind cupped hands, their gazes flicking toward him, full of disbelief and curiosity.
"Is that him? The one who knocked Sirus across the training ground?"
"No way. That's Zaryth... he couldn't even beat a dummy."
"You think it's true? That he healed his sister just by touching her?"
Zaryth's jaw tightened as the hushed whispers surrounded him. Every step he took felt heavier under the weight of their stares.
Mavuika leaned casually against the academy wall, her piercing crimson eyes locked on Zaryth as he approached. She crossed her arms, studying him with a curious expression.
"So, the sleeping prince awakens," she said, her voice laced with dry amusement. "Thought you were going to make us wait another week."
Zaryth stopped in front of her, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze. "What happened?" he asked bluntly.
Her smile faded, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something else in her eyes—pity, perhaps, or concern. "You seriously don't remember?"
"No."
Mavuika exhaled slowly, as if considering how much she should say. "You... did something impossible, Zaryth. Something no one could explain."
He frowned. "Like what?"
"You fought Sirus," she said, her tone dropping slightly. "And when he attacked you, it was like time... just stopped."
Zaryth's heart skipped a beat. "Time stopped?"
"Yeah," she whispered. "And then, before anyone could even react, he was blown halfway across the field. And you—" She paused, narrowing her eyes. "You healed Ruby. No one knows how. Not even the academy healers can explain it."
Zaryth looked away, his mind racing. Stopped time... healed Ruby? None of it made sense.
Zaryth pushed past Mavuika, heading deeper into the academy halls. Everywhere he went, the whispers followed him, shadowing his every step.
"It's just a rumor," one student said dismissively. "There's no way someone like Zaryth could pull that off."
"He's probably lying. Maybe it was Ruby's magic that saved her, not his."
"He's still a loser. Just got lucky this time."
Zaryth clenched his fists, the sting of their words biting deep. No matter what had happened that day, they still saw him as the same weak, pitiful boy.
As Zaryth walked through the academy's courtyard, Ruby's words echoed in his mind: "They were trash-talking you. I couldn't forgive them."
A storm brewed inside him—anger at the mockery, confusion over what he'd done, and frustration at his own powerlessness. He still didn't understand what had happened that day, but one thing was certain: something inside him had changed.
And whether he liked it or not, the entire academy now knew it.
He glanced up at the sky, the clouds drifting lazily overhead. What are you, Zaryth? the question echoed in his mind, unanswered.
With a deep breath, Zaryth made a silent vow to himself. He didn't know what was happening to him, but he would figure it out—no matter what it took.
---